whittling 101

There once was a boy, a pocketknife, an abundance of trees and many hours of unscheduled time. He was the product and eventually the vestige of a time when most people had the knowledge and skill to take the materials at hand and create things they would need to survive: spears, shelter, corrals for livestock and furniture to live by. He was there in the woods, near home, for a century and he whittled away while the country changed: woodcarving became less practical in the wake of fashion and industry, which brought to the towns many of the items that the woodcarving survivalist was once forced to create. Toys, furniture, flatware and tableware were all not only procurable now but shiny and exotic.

This boy kept whittling while the need to carve wood waned. By the time he was a grandfather, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren were amused by the novelty of his craft. And when he passed away, some became artisans, some hobbyists but many simply lost all interest.

Today, there is a growing curiosity about this old time craft. It parallels the slow/simple/back-to-basics movements that have tickled people back into local produce, community gardens, sustainable agriculture and making pop tarts from scratch again. All along, however, the artisans have taught the enthusiasts and they certainly have tutored the Boy Scouts, who for their part use this skill to this day to create a litany of projects, and for this reason we are including a mini-tutorial here for the boy who is interested in completing most of the projects within The American Boys Handy Book. Without further blathering, let’s get down to

1. Find green wood.

There was a time, back in grandpa’s youth, when wood was abundant. Times and philosophy has changed, and you can’t disrespect a tree at will by cutting random branches. But a good many pine trees in the backyard will have lower branches that die off eventually if they aren’t pruned back–I’m not afraid to recommend using those, for the mutual benefit of your industry and the health of the tree. In our case, we have an old olive tree choked by it’s own shoots–bring on the hatchet!

2. Sharpen your pocket knife
It’s important to keep the blade sharp at all times. Here’s how. A dull knife requires more force, and if you slip while carving, you could whittle your finger with ease. You will first need a whetstone.

3. Quiet your mind, if you have to.

You’ll need to concentrate first but soon you will relax.

4. Plan what you want to carve.
I recommend starting with a nice point at the end of a long stick, perfect for skewering marshmallows or hot dogs for the campfire. Or just aim to peel the bark off the stick, for starters.

5. On Position:

Hold the wood in one hand, the knife in your right. Then get in a comfortable position, in good light where your knees or the rest of your body (or that of others!) will not be in the path of the knife’s cut; always cut away from your hands and fingers. Do NOT use your index finger to stabilize the wood.

6. Whittle by holding the knife at an angle very close to the wood, so as to take thin cuts, and aim to cut along the grain.

Make short, thin cuts and whittle away patiently, slowly,without gripping the knife again, away from yourself and others. It’s a lot like peeling vegetables; in fact, younger siblings can even whittle with a vegetable peeler when they are too young to handle a knife. Use the pressure of your thumb against the back of the blade. You can use your other thumb as well against the back of the blade, for more precise angling and direction.

7. Keep the blade clean and sharp as you continue to carve.

7. Continue to PAY ATTENTION as you carve.

If you get distracted and have to look elsewhere, stop whittling. Put the project down in your lap or on the table. The wood will not run away.

8. If you reach a knot in the wood, stabilize the wood on an unmovable surface (table, fallen log, boulder) and keep whittling away until you’ve flattened the knot down.

9. IF you get cut, staunch the flow of blood, wrap it in a tissue, towel or other fabric and hold it above your heart to limit blood loss. Seek help if it appears deep. Fortunately, a cut from a 3.75″ pen knife (folded) us usually not traumatic. But annoying, if you must run and get stitches. What a total waste of time!

Bonus: You overachieving wannabe Eagles can hack out a few of these, if you fancy.